| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 24, 2003 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Headquarters | 1310 G Street NW Washington, D.C. |
| Employees | 531 (2006) |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Department of the Treasury |
| Website | www.ttb.gov |
TheAlcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, statutorily named theTax and Trade Bureau and frequently shortened toTTB, is a bureau of theUnited States Department of the Treasury, which regulates and collects taxes on trade and imports of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms within the United States.[1]
TTB was created on January 24, 2003, when theHomeland Security Act of 2002 split theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) into two new organizations with separate functions.[2] Specifically, the Act transferred ATF and its law enforcement functions from theDepartment of the Treasury to theDepartment of Justice. ATF's other functions, dealing with tax collection and regulation of legitimate trade, remained within the Treasury Department and became part of the new TTB.
TTB's Field Operations are organized into five divisions:[3]
The Advertising, Labeling, and Formulation Division (ALFD) implements and enforces a broad range of statutory and compliance provisions of theInternal Revenue Code and theFederal Alcohol Administration Act. This act requires importers and bottlers of beverage alcohol to obtain certificates of label approval or certificates of exemption from label approval (COLAs) for most alcohol beverages prior to their introduction into interstate commerce. ALFD acts on these COLAs to ensure that products are labeled in accordance with federal laws and regulations. ALFD also examines formulas for wine and distilled spirits, statements of process, and pre-import applications filed by importers and proprietors of domestic distilleries, wineries, and breweries for proper tax classification and to ensure that the products are manufactured in accordance with federal laws and regulations.[9]